Ireland ‘monitoring’ situation with Venezuelan oil tanker – minister

By Gráinne Ní Aodha and David Young, Press Association

Ireland is monitoring the situation in relation to a Venezuela-linked oil tanker in the vicinity of Irish waters, the Foreign Affairs Minister said.

Helen McEntee said that while it had been reported that the Marinera, a Russian-flagged vessel previously known as Bella-1, was in or near Ireland’s exclusive economic zone, it was now “far off” from it.

Several US military planes and British surveillance aircraft have been seen patrolling the skies in the vicinity of the oil tanker in recent days as it travelled through the North Atlantic.

It's not unusual that there would be ships or fleets that would sail to or towards or in and around the economic zone. They're monitored by our own Defence Forces, and this vessel itself is now far off our economic zone, but we'll continue to monitor the situation

On Wednesday afternoon, the US military confirmed it had seized the Marinera, in an operation that was aided by British armed forces including RAF surveillance.

Asked about the tanker while in Belfast, Ms McEntee said: “It was widely reported that a particular vessel was sailing towards, or in and around the Irish economic zone.

“It’s not unusual that there would be ships or fleets that would sail to or towards or in and around the economic zone.

“They’re monitored by our own Defence Forces, and this vessel itself is now far off our economic zone, but we’ll continue to monitor the situation.”

Ms McEntee also said that the Irish Government had been in touch with the US embassy about reports of US military planes tracking the vessel and whether they were granted permission to fly in Irish airspace.

She cited a 1959 legal agreement between Ireland and the US which states that prior sign off from Irish authorities is not required unless there are weapons on board or if there is an operation in place.

“We’ve been in touch with the US embassy, and they’ve assured us that they have complied with the 1959 agreement, but I have asked my officials to engage further and to provide me with a full report on that, and it’s important that I see that,” she said.

“But it is for them to make sure that they comply with the agreement, and they’ve been very clear that they have complied with that agreement.”

Ms McEntee also said that while she did not support the presidency of Nicolas Maduro, she was “extremely concerned” at the situation in Venezuela and at reports that international law may have been broken.

“I don’t think he is legitimately in place as president, and I think that is a view shared by the vast majority of other countries, and that’s the view and position that Ireland has taken,” she said.

“In saying that, it is for the people of Venezuela to decide their future and I am extremely concerned, as I think many are, at the actions that have been taken.

“I’m extremely concerned that there is a suggestion that international law may not have been upheld.

“International law must be upheld, the UN Charter must be upheld, and that applies to every country, big and small, and that, of course, applies to the US as well.”

She said of suggestions that the US could buy or seize Greenland: “The territorial integrity of Greenland must be respected at all times.

“The future of Greenland must be decided by the people of Greenland and by Denmark, and certainly, I will be supporting our colleagues in Denmark and our colleagues across Europe in making that very clear.

“There can be no decision taken unilaterally or otherwise when it comes to a country’s territorial integrity and their sovereignty.”